Rise of Political Independents in the U.S.

Despite the existence of two primary political parties, a recent survey indicates that a growing number of Americans are stepping away from both and identifying as independents. The Gallup poll, which surveyed around 13,000 adults, revealed that a record 45 percent of Americans now consider themselves independents, expressing dissatisfaction with the leadership of both major parties. This marks the highest percentage recorded by Gallup since they began monitoring this trend in the early 1990s. In comparison, only 27 percent of respondents identified as Republicans, while the same percentage identified as Democrats.

This surge in independent identification can, in part, be attributed to younger generations, who continue to align themselves with this label as they mature. Gallup’s findings show that a significant number of Millennials (54 percent) and Generation Z (56 percent) identify as independents. Millennials are those born between 1981 and 1996, whereas Generation Z includes individuals born from 1997 to 2007. Among Generation X, about 42 percent claim independence, while a third of baby boomers (33 percent) and 30 percent of the silent generation also identify similarly.

The trend indicates that today’s youth are notably more inclined to distance themselves from both major political parties compared to previous generations. As Gallup’s analysis highlights, 56 percent of Gen Z adults currently identify as independent, a noteworthy increase from the 47 percent of Millennials in 2012 and 40 percent of Gen X in 1992.

When asked about their leanings, independents showed a slight preference towards the Democratic Party. The breakdown revealed that 20 percent lean Democratic, 15 percent lean Republican, and the rest do not express a preference. Notably, there was a 3-point decrease among Republicans and a corresponding 3-point increase among Democrats compared to the previous year.